The Tupolev 134 was acting as a photographic chase aircraft to a Tupolev 22M3-LL aerodynamics research aircraft ("32 Red") when both aircraft collided in flight at an altitude of 3000m. The Tu-134 sustained major damage to the stabilizer, lost control and crashed into the swampy forest. The Tu-22 managed to land safely back at Zhukovsky. The Tu-134 was operated by the Gromov Flight Research Institute (LII) of the Ministry of Aviation Industry (MAP).